Catheter based diagnostic and interventional procedures such as angiograms, balloon angioplasty, stenting, atherectomy, thrombectomy, device placement, etc., are commonly employed to treat patients with vascular obstructions or other abnormalities accessible through the vasculature of the human body. Such interventions are less traumatic to the body than previous surgical interventions and therefore are growing in use.
Following various diagnostic and interventional procedures, and after equipment used to perform the procedure has been removed from the patient, manual pressure is often applied directly to the skin above the access puncture for about thirty minutes to inhibit blood loss until the body's natural clotting process seals the puncture. However, this technique may result in discomfort to the patient and may require a significant amount of nursing staff time.
Additionally, various vascular closure devices have been used that deposit a plug in the proximity of a vessel. Unfortunately, these devices suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, the pressure exerted on the plug can cause the plug to move away from the vessel puncture site, resulting in a hemotoma or other complication at the puncture site. Also, the plug may not seal the puncture tract/hole in the blood vessel sufficiently to prevent leakage. Additionally, these devices may present difficulties in properly positioning the plug relative to the vessel puncture.